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12 Aug 2009
A political party that supports the sharing of files via the internet now has an official arm in the UK after it was approved to stand by the Electoral Commission.
The Pirate Party, whose Swedish organisation won a seat in the European Parliament for the first time this June, is set to campaign around three core policies.
These are to legalise non-commercial file sharing and reduce the length of copyright protection, to end "excessive" surveillance of citizens by government and big business, and to promote freedom of speech.
"Enthusiastic support for the party has, up to now, sometimes blinded us to the fundamental truth: there was no party," read a message on the party's official blog.
"The Pirate Party UK existed only as an idea. But now it is real, and here to stay for as long as it is needed. At the end of last month, the Electoral Commission confirmed the registration."
The party will be standing at the next general election and will be hoping to ape the success of its sister parties in Sweden and Germany.
Ironically those organisations enjoyed a massive surge in popularity when the four founders of unaffiliated file sharing site The Pirate Bay were sentenced to prison in April this year.
"The internet has turned our world into a global village. Ideas can be shared at incredible speed, and at negligible cost. The benefits are plain to see, but as a result, many vested interests are threatened," reads a message on the UK Pirate Party site.
"Outdated laws must change, and will change. The only question is when will we change them."
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Do you agree?
actually get out and vote:
the truth is as there is is now a valid party , all you beed do is get out there and make the time to vote not for the con or lab, but any of the others standing in your area.... the question remains, will the PP be putting up condidates in every single council seat for you to vote for, and will this finally make the other partys take note and actually represent YOU.... only IF you make the time and get everyone you know to ACTUALLY vote for the PP as a collective nation this one time, the very next time we get the chance. DO IT, it won make them 1st or second partys,(although if they get enough condidates standing ASAP they may) but it will shake the others up enough to pull their fingers out. "Of course, the party won't win a single seat, but that's not the point. The party's objective must be to change international law, not to run a country. It's not as if we have proportional representation in the UK, nor that the British people are intelligent enough to make a rational choice at the ballot box (there is still far too much tribal party-loyalty, especially in favour of the Red Tribe)."
Posted by: I_AM 15 Aug 2009
Splendiferous!
The UK is political dead in the water and our lords and masters have been proved to be little more than common criminals, grabbing all they can with boith hands. they are idealogically and morally bankrupt. There has been little real alternative to the two main parties (Labervative and Consour) for too long and they have have become so alike you can barely see the join. Both parties spout the same tired 'terrorist protection' claptrap to cover the UK's onward stagger down the Orwellian road to subjugating and controlling the masses for the benefit of the few. It is time that a fresh look was taken at our inalienable right to freedom of speech and at the insidious rules and regulations that presently bind us all. I'll vote for them and I would urge everyone who really wants things to change to do so too. Come the revolution....
Posted by: BuzzArt - Birmingham 14 Aug 2009
Yay!
Excellent news. If the party really wants to be taken seriously, it must re-write the whole patent and copyright law in all of the major jurisdictions so that we can be rid of the whole concept of an idea being a "property right" from which a revenue stream can be derived. That'll return music to the musicians, rather than the "music industry". A useful corrollorary will be the irreversible dent in "celebrity culture". In professional services, it will also mean that revenue can be earnt from performing a service, or selling a product, but not from the selling of information or knowledge. Of course, the party won't win a single seat, but that's not the point. The party's objective must be to change international law, not to run a country. It's not as if we have proportional representation in the UK, nor that the British people are intelligent enough to make a rational choice at the ballot box (there is still far too much tribal party-loyalty, especially in favour of the Red Tribe).
Posted by: Martin 12 Aug 2009